Welcome to the First Day of the Rest of Your Life
by Steph-Schell
Summary: Miles can't put off being general any longer. (Part of The Family You Choose series)


Danny slowly opened his eyes. He could see his uncle still asleep in the bed across from him. Uncle Miles smelled like the alcohol he'd probably been drinking all night. Whiskey seemed to be his preferred method of dealing with grief. Actually, given the little he knew about his uncle, Danny had to admit that whiskey seemed to be Miles' preferred method of dealing with life in general.

Danny wasn't sure what woke him at first. Sure, Uncle Miles was snoring but that was par for the course. Danny was surprisingly used to that sound. Then he realized he heard someone moving downstairs. It was Wednesday which meant that the woman who had been hired to keep house for them wasn't in.

He briefly considered waking up his uncle to deal with the intruder but decided against it. Uncle Miles was really grouchy when he didn't wake up on his own. Besides, it was probably just some solider looking for the general. Danny would explain the situation and hopefully the person would leave. Danny pulled on his clothes from last night and headed down stairs.

Instead of the random soldier he expected, Danny found Sebastian Monroe in their kitchen making bacon. Heart pounding, Danny darted back around the corner and tried to figure out what to do.

"I know you're there, you know you're there, let's stop the games," Monroe called. He smiled as Danny poked his head around the corner. "I'm not even armed you know."

Danny hovered in the doorway, prepared to run for Uncle Miles at a moment's notice. "You used to be a Marine, right? Like Uncle Miles?"

"No such thing as 'used to be' when talking about Marines," Monroe informed him. "But yes, we were in the Corps together."

"Then I don't think you really need a weapon to kill me."

"I'm not here to kill you, Danny. I'm attempting to make breakfast."

Danny studied the man. "Why?"

"Because I need Miles to be able to exist if he's going to help me run the Republic. And bacon is good for hangover."

"How do you know he's going to have a hangover?"

"Because I know Miles."

"Don't you have work you should be doing?"

"It's still early. The Republic will wait for a few hours, trust me."

Danny remembered Monroe had given at Charlie's funeral two weeks earlier. "Did you mean all that stuff you said? Do you care about my sister?"

Monroe paused. "Do you want an honest answer?"

"Yes please."

Monroe sighed as he went back to the bacon. "I didn't know her Danny. Am I sad that she died? Yes, a little. It's always sad when someone so young dies. I had sisters too and I know that it hurts when your family is taken from you. But admittedly, a lot of it was acting too. That's part of being a leader."

Danny wanted to ask more questions but someone tapped his shoulder. "One side, kid. I need in here."

Danny recognized the man as Captain Baker. He was carrying eggs that Danny assumed were going to be used for breakfast. "Sorry," he mumbled, moving from his spot so the captain could enter the kitchen.

"You done with stove?" Baker asked.

Monroe nodded. "Did someone wake Miles?"

"No one needs to wake Miles. I'm up."

Danny quickly moved out of his uncle's way. The other man leaned against the door looking like death warmed over. "You look like shit," Jeremy stated.

"Thanks for that vote of confidence." Miles glared at the two people in the kitchen. "Why are you guys even here?"

"You start back as Commanding General of the Militia today," Bass explained, setting the table as Jeremy made scrambled eggs. "You should be sober for that."

Miles snorted. "I have seen the shit storm that is your Republic and your Militia. I'd rather be drunk."

"Not your call," Bass stated.

Miles glanced at his nephew. "Go get ready for the day," he ordered. Danny couldn't move fast enough. Miles returned his attention to Jeremy and Bass. "Was it worth scaring the piss out of my nephew?"

"Completely," Jeremy nodded. He ignored the death glare Miles sent his way.

"We didn't mean to scare Danny," Bass placated. "We just wanted to make sure you were fit to come into work today."

"Well I'm not. So let's push it back."

"If we did that you'd never come in," Jeremy pointed out.

"If I'm general now, doesn't' that mean I can order you before a firing squad?"

"You could but I'd write a pardon," Bass told him. "Come sit down."

"Bacon and eggs is not going to fix the situation, Bass."

Jeremy passed Bass the eggs and then headed to the front room. This was not something he needed to watch. Bass set a plate down in front of Miles. "It'll get you sober enough to make a start at it."

Miles squinted at the other man. "The hell do you want out of me anyway?"

"What I've always wanted Miles. To help me run this place."

"I won't be your torture boy anymore. I've got Danny to think of now. I can't be the butcher of Baltimore again." Miles looked down at his plate. "It just might kill me this time."

"Then you won't be that man again," Bass agreed. "But you said you were going to help me. And I'm going to hold you to that."

Miles nodded and took a small bite of eggs. "I know Jeremy cooked these because they're actually edible."

Bass scowled at him. "At least I don't burn everything in sight like some people I could mention."

"Yeah, whatever. I'll be up at Independence Hall in two hours. Now get out of my house. I need to talk to Danny and he's not leaving until you do."

"I'll send someone for you if you don't show up," Bass warned.

"Let me know when you find someone with enough balls," Miles agreed. He listened to the two men leave and nodded. "You can come out," he called. "They're gone."

Danny rounded the corner. "So are you really going to go back to being General Matheson?"

"Nope."

"Nope?" Danny cautiously sat across from Miles as he shook his head.

"Nope. Eat something kid. You're too damn skinny."

Danny frowned. He ate more than his uncle most days. But he took some bacon and eggs anyway. "What do you mean? You just told Monroe that you were coming back to work."

"And I am."

"But you just said—"

"Kid, there is a big difference between going back to work and being General Matheson. At least there is for me anyway."

"What's the difference?"

"General Matheson was an asshole. And not the good kind either. So yes, I am going back to work for Sebastian Monroe. No, I am not going to be General Matheson again."

Danny didn't really understand but he nodded anyway. It was his uncle's business, not his. "So what am I supposed to do?"

"Don't' leave the house. For today at least. Things are still shaky. And people aren't exactly happy about my homecoming."

Now that Danny understood. He looked at his uncle. "Will things get better?"

Miles looked him right in the eye. "Yes."

They finished their breakfast in silence and then Danny waited in the front room while Miles put on his black uniform. He was a little behind schedule but knew Bass would give him some leeway. Miles paused at the door. "Look, do whatever you want in here but like I said, don't leave the grounds if you can help it. I'll be back around six."

Danny looked his uncle who looked extremely uncomfortable in his uniform. "You'll fix things right? Fix em for Charlie?"

"Fix em for Charlie," Miles nodded. And without being sure why he was doing it, he reached out to hug his nephew tight. "And for you and me too," he added. Then he was out the door before Danny could respond.


End file.
